The first company that set up an ICHRA was a fiasco. Luckily, Benafica had a plan of action and seamlessly transitioned their HRA Administration.
Amby Bowen-Matheny, RN, CCM is president of Matheny Health Care Advocates (MHCA) and Professional Care Consultants, Inc. (PCC) in Washington. Her company helps families struggling with long-term illnesses, specifically family members with dementia, to navigate the health care system and create care plans that match their personal values and preferences.
Working in health care, Amby knows how important it is to have health benefits. But the first company that set up a health reimbursement account (HRA) for her employees was a fiasco. When she had questions, the customer service representatives didn’t seem to understand the program enough to provide solutions. It turned out that the company’s system also wasn’t compatible with Amby’s Mac-based operations. “It was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Amby said. “When we said we were having trouble with the Mac compatibility, they kind of said, ‘Sorry, oh well.’ So I got on my computer and started searching for other providers, and I found Benafica.”
Real People. Personalized Attention.
The first difference Amby noticed was that a real person answered the phone. The next thing she knew, Benafica had a plan of action to seamlessly transition her company’s health benefits administration. “All I had to do was tell the other company that I was done with them,” she said.
But it was more than that. The team at Benafica took time to understand the unique needs of her business. She has part-time and full-time employees. She wanted to make medical reimbursements through the HRA program easy and flexible for each employee. In fact, Amby was able to consider several options recommended by Benafica and then discuss her preferences before they set up the plan.
Happy Employees Spells Relief
Hearing from Amby’s employees, it’s clear that the benefit is appreciated. One employee loves that she can use her HRA benefit to get reimbursed for health care items that she really needs, ranging from massage therapy to COVID home testing kits. Another employee noted that the reimbursements seem to be really quick and easy, with deposits right into his family’s bank account.
Amby is pleased to know that her monthly employer contribution to the HRA is valued by her employees, especially given the competitive environment for employees such as skilled nurses. “For a small company like me competing in health care against hospitals or larger corporations, I don’t want to offer just one type of health plan. This way, my employees can choose their own plans and have the HRA benefit to help pay for their care.”
At the end of the year, Benafica meets with Amby to go over her plan and help her make any changes for the future. “I feel like all my questions are answered and clearly,” she said. “I feel like I can trust them to be there with my company as it grows.”
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